Praise the Passing of Summer Rain
by Spylace
Summary: AU.If Aizen had deemed Soul Society more valuable; the cleansing starts from within and the first casualties of war are its innocents.
1. Prologue

**Title: **Praise the Passing of Summer Rain

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach

**Summary: **If Aizen had deemed Soul Society more valuable; the cleansing starts from within and the first casualties of war are its innocents.

**Warning: **character deaths

**A.N.:** Yeah... another story... this one is an AU what if take on if Aizen decided to stay and take over Soul Society from the inside. It deviates from the original time line... by quite a lot. Do not ask about the title, just don't -gets a headache- you're welcome to ask about anything else pertaining to this story :)

* * *

-

* * *

_Hitsugaya coughs, a harsh sucking sound that comes from holding one's breath for too long. He moves sluggishly, not understanding why his hair remains stuck to the floor, why his eyelids would flutter but not open, why he was lying down in so much pain. He whines and gags throwing up what is left of his stomach. A large spittle flies out of his mouth and something soft unfurls from the blood clot waving its feathered antennas at him. His mind jump starts, frantic thoughts collapsing together in rows like a line of red and white dominoes. He groans as he pushes against the slick stone with his hand. Hyourinmaru is stuck in his side, the tip of the katana poking through his back. He rocks back and forth, each time the blade slides against his ribs spilling more of his blood on the damp floor. But he won't need his body when this is over; he knows he won't survive to see the end of it. _

_He knows everyone else must._

_He's crying solid tears by the time he flips himself over on to his back. The impact nearly makes him back out—nearly but not quite. Hyourinmaru is forced backwards, tearing anew at the delicate lining of his damaged organs. A strange white moth flutters above his head, its wings glowing like the moon as it watches him with semi-intelligent green eyes. He weeps bitterly through his cracked eyelids, wrapping his sticky fingers around Hyourinmaru's hilt. The dragon's call is weak; it asks him to stay still and to wait for help._

_Help isn't coming and even if it had been, it's already too late._

_There is a web of red frost where the raw pink and yellow of his flesh is bared through the cuts._

_He pulls, he cries out. The moth zigzags over his head. His strident scream bounces off the walls in faint staccatos. His guts spill out in strings of pale intestines and a gush warm blood. He's cold but he can't feel it. He can move no longer but he commands the moth to land on his soul cutter with a soft whimper, closing his eyes and counting to ten. _

_He keeps the tempo, one hundred to one, even as he speaks. Even as his fingers lose strength and eventually drop Hyourinmaru. He's not afraid that they'll come back and finish him off. There's nothing left for them to destroy, they had finished the job when they left. And he, this his last moment, saving the world though he owes it naught, saving the world because there are people in it, people that he cares about. _

_His mouth falls slack, Hyourinmaru is gone._

-

There had been reports of killings in the past few weeks. West rukongai was suffering heavy losses in its spiritual population. Future shinigami were being snatched from their cradle while they slept. They were simply torn apart, not ransomed, not even _eaten_ and left so that their fragile bodies could be found the next morning. It is getting to be bad; the recent reports had from the thirtieth district. Only three days ago, it was restricted to fortieth district and beyond.

It will only speed up, Ukitake reasons. The closer they get to seireitei, the less wary its residents thus more dangerous for them. Other captains agree and a few mutters darkly about the abnormal spike in hollow activity. Commander-general Yamamoto orders for two captains to eliminate the threat.

Aizen takes the case. Gin also volunteers uncharacteristically.

There is also the discussion about Kuchiki Byakuya's sister, Kuchiki Rukia's length of stay in the material world.

-

Yamamoto is dead, pierced by his own soul cutter. His wizened corpse is staked through the heart and hung at the face of the first division's building. His blood spills dark and black behind him like a waterfall. His lieutenant is discovered in his office, his face drawn in a last defiant grimace. The Special Forces are calling it a murder-suicide. No one knows the motive and anyways, no one believes that such a loyal officer has committed such treachery.

-

The commander-general, the former captain of the first division is lowered to the ground. His two disciples, Captain Ukitake and Captain Shunsui, treat him with care, their faces marred by grief. His tongue is thick in his jaw and his eyes are cloudy. Unohana Retsu is shaking her hand even before she touches him. She gently pushes his eyes closed.

-

Tenth division's captain Hitsugaya Toushiro is discovered two days later in the frozen chambers of the first division headquarters. Three captains had to blast it apart just to enter. Blood stains on the floor and the walls suggest it was where two heads of the first division had been killed originally. The boy is flat on his back, his face cut into pieces. The entrance and exit wounds suggest that he too has been impaled by his own soul cutter. The ice has preserved the young captain's body too well to determine the time of death. No one knows why Hitsugaya had this place sealed shut but Mayuri confirms the ice samples to be Hyourinmaru's. Strangely, the boy-captain's soul cutter is nowhere to be scene.

Bloodied and battered, Aizen and Ichimaru return to a scene of chaos.

-

Repeated relays of hell butterflies elicit no responses from the Central 46 Chambers. Kuchiki Byakuya himself makes the journey himself not as a captain but as the head of one of seireiei's four noble houses.

-

All 46 members lay dead in their seats. The putrid smell of decay fog the air, their blood is black and crumbles at the slightest of touch. Unohana Retsu maintains that they must have been killed even before the commander general.

No one has any idea what to do.

-

Aizen Sousuke is promoted to the first division along with his lieutenant. No one is surprised at this but everyone wonders what will happen next. The council will have to be built from ground up. Perhaps the royal family, residing in another dimension, will have to be contacted.

The sixth division's captain stretches himself out and gathers resources. He contacts the Shiba clan surviving in the outskirts of Soul Society, and Shihouin Yoruichi who looks as troubled as she ever gets. He calls upon the fourth and final clan to find them unreceptive and reluctant to join the attempt to hold Soul Society together.

There is conflict as always and in the process Byakuya momentarily forgets about his adopted sister.

-

Shinigami are instructed to retrieve Kuchiki Rukia from the material world.

The new commander-general explains with a gentle lilt of his lips that now of all times order needs to be restored, commands obeyed, and opposing factors eradicated.

-

There are piles of tiny corpses growing in front of Urahara's humble little shop. The blonde pays little attention at first and lets Tessei carry on with his sweeping. A kitten, barely old enough to open its eyes, sets its paws over the gates and freezes, confused and mewing pitifully. Tessei carries it into the shop with one large hand; sympathy etched across his broad brown face as the creatures shivers and dies foaming at its mouth.

Next day Urahara stands watch. He pets the puppy's floppy ears as its twisted spine quivers under its knotted fur and fall quietly still.


	2. Black Butterflies

**Title: **Praise the Passing of Summer Rain

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach

**Summary: **If Aizen had deemed Soul Society more valuable; the cleansing starts from within and the first casualties of war are its innocents.

**Warning: **character deaths

**A.N.:** thank you for the kind reviews

**TheSmallestGhost**- maybe a bit here and there if you squint but no pairings sorry ;)

* * *

-

* * *

_He watches as the lieutenant is crudely set up into a sitting position while the commander-general is slowly dragged across the floor. His stomach performs acrobatic feats worthy of Captain Soifon of the second division. And he isn't quite sure if it's not the spy he has planted..._

_Gin moves quicker than normal snapping his wrist up until he lets go of Hyourinmaru with a cry. The dragon slides back into its sheath frustrated as the boy's arm is wrenched behind him with a sickening pop. Hitsugaya bites his lips and it bleeds scarlet on snow all the way down his chin. But he wasn't called a genius for no good reason and reaches back with his left hand. He barely misses slicing the taller captain's face in two as he jumps sideways, his hand still caught in the proverbial snare. 'Sit upon the frozen heavens...' he breathes out and that is all. Quiet laughter betrays the presence of the second captain behind him. He turns around—too late—and jerks back in alarm as his face is cut. He stares through a kaleidoscope of red when he forcefully peels his eyelids back in time to see Hyourinmaru enter his body beneath the right collarbone and exit out the lower back. _

_Gin finally lets him go and he kneels, the blessed, cleansing—healing—snow soaking through his hakama. Aizen says something idyllic, something about seeing snow at this time of the year. Blood smears into his pupils and obscures what remains of his vision. He throws a hand out—just in time to hold himself up—but his elbow bends as does his wrist and he falls on his stomach, impaling himself further on his own soul cutter. _

_The frost rubs his cheeks raw, the dragging sound continues. His breathing slows as if he is about to sleep. Hyourinmaru whimpers, wounded and very much hurt. He tries stroking the dragon only he... he can't. _

_He can't..._

_And with that thought he closes his eyes._

-

Two days in a row there has been a steady stream of corpses lining the edge of the protective barrier around his home. They are small animals, tiny birds, mice, kittens and puppies. They shuffle around his shop for brief seconds before collapsing and lying quite still. It's as though they had come here for a reason but forgot as soon as they set foot over the fence.

He waits and nimbly plucks a dried newt off the ground with his thumb and index finger. The mottled amphibian struggles fruitlessly, its lovely golden spots coming off in flakes as cracks form around its skin. He tries calming it down and it mouths the pad of his fingers leaving traces of saliva beneath the nails. It stares at him with its dark eyes almost meaningfully and a jolt courses down the blonde's spine. The newt stops moving after that and he renders its body into ashes with a small prayer.

-

The 46 men are swiftly replaced by Aizen's handpicked crew. The brunette changes the rules subtly one by one. Most don't notice until they are dispatched to take others in or are taken in themselves. Applicants to the shinigami academy slow to a trickle, those that remain walk on eggshells all day long.

Not even the captains are exempt from this practice. They are questioned separately then together, lieutenants might have broken down from the cross-examinations but not them. They are the captains of Gotei Thirteen; they are confused but far from stupid. They know something is wrong, just not quite what yet.

The trouble begins when a young girl from the noble family is sentenced to death.

-

A mouse manages to survive for four full hours before succumbing to oblivion. It never closes its eyes. Urahara wishes he had created an animal-to-human translator in his spare time. Before it goes it lets out a sigh that seems all too human.

-

Yoruichi returns but not alone. She is wounded but none worse for wear.

Urahara doesn't ask.

The feline cradles a smallish gray kitten in her jaws. The current captain of the second division—Soifon—is holding her in her arms. She licks the kitten once on the forehead with a pink tongue before staring at him piercingly. He walks over—mindful of the oriental girl's glare—and gently touches the kitten's marbled fur.

A kindred soul he finds. It seems to be choking and he pries open its jaws. There is black matter clinging onto its teeth and gums. Its throat seems to be clogged with partially digested remains. He patiently digs it out while Yoruichi makes herself at home. Half way through he realizes the kitten's body has given out. He now knows what was suffocating it though and presents his findings however dubious it may seem.

-

"Can't be." The dark-haired captain denounces wrinkling her nose at the contents in the glass.

"Ah." And Urahara holds up a finger. "But I assure you, it's a hell butterfly,"

"And that's why I'm telling you it's impossible."

"Urahara," Yoruichi says quietly tying back her violet hair. "What would a cat be doing with a hell butterfly?"

"Not just one," nudges his sample with his cane. "But many, at least half a dozen. I must say it never occurred to me to examine their stomach contents. It seemed to me as though they had died of sudden, yes, but natural process. Granted, there were so many..."

"Kisuke..." with a slight cough the blonde tips his hat.

"My guess is that someone is trying to send us a message."

Ururu enters the room, biting through her bottom lip. Jinta is reluctantly dragged in muttering as she presents him with a broken-winged pigeon. It cries rancorously and tries to launch itself into the blonde's face. Urahara blinks twice, Soifon looks as though she might have liked to do a little dissecting herself. The pigeon calms down when it exchanges hands however and it gives a small cough as the former captain of the twelfth division prods at its unyielding chest. He strokes its throat, coaxing it to open its mouth. Sure enough, the insides of its beak are painted black.

Both women look terse.

The bird's body seizes violently before stopping. It makes a slight choking sound and puffs up its neck. Urahara can feel the faint breathing and heartbeat echo before disappearing. Its vermillion eyes stay open slowly clouding into dull brown.

"And whoever it is..." Urahara shakes his head. Ururu looks as though she might burst into tears any second. He quickly pats her head and asks her to call Tessai over from the next room. "...is getting desperate."

-

Rukia is gone—Ichigo barely survives.

Soifon is gone too, promising news from the other side.

-

He dissects every corpse he has managed to save, heedless of the crashing noise that comes from below. Y-shaped cut below the collarbone, yellowed ribs, pale lungs, wrinkled hearts, stiff intestines, congealed blood, and excess liquid. There are signs of decay, of preservation, strain, distortion, conflict and premature death. And every one of them has died from suffocation. There is no forced entry; it is as if the butterfly had been created from within the various creatures it took as a disguise.

He doesn't bother asking the hazy-eyed face of a frog, he doesn't expect any answers.

-

Ichigo comes back up on earth for a breather and to gather his friends. He finds a mange-infested cat, still young but old at the same time. It meows at him and he picks it up. Orihime coos at it and tries to heal its broken tail. The patchy white fur revives and dark patches grow back in. encouraged, she heals it whole and nearly faints when she is done.

-

They make it back to the shop in record time. The cat mews and staggers around while attempting—precariously—to wash its face. While Tessai gets the girl comfortable Urahara unseals Benihime and cuts off the feline's head.

-

"We have decided, Kuchiki Rukia you are hereby sentenced to execution."

'No you've decided.'

Kuchiki Byakuya closes his eyes.

-

"Things are proceeding quite nicely wouldn't you say Gin?"

The third division captain cackles softly as the spirit-sealing pit is lined anew with death-stones. "Ah would think so."

Aizen smiles.


	3. Disappearing Corpses

**Title: Praise the Passing of Summer Rain**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach

**Summary: **If Aizen had deemed Soul Society more valuable; the cleansing starts from within and the first casualties of war are its innocents.

**Warning: **character deaths

**A.N.:** reviews tend to make my day ;)

**TheSmallestGhost-** They were alive.

Or they weren't dead.

Depending on the way you look at it. It'll come up in the next chapter.

And as for the captains... -cough- heh read and find out but I can probably guarantee not everyone will get out of this in one piece. Actually, I guarantee it. Not everyone will get out of this in one piece.

* * *

-

* * *

_His footsteps are light, quiet, and nonexistent. Possibly why he remains alive and standing as he watches from behind the walls. The scent of smoke and fire is nonexistent, the scent of copper salt permeate the air. They had not neither time nor wit to draw their swords. _

_They're dead. _

_And the word repeats itself in his mind so many times it feels like he is about to black out. Captain Yamamoto Genryusai and Lieutenant Sasakibe Choujiro of the first division lay dead. It is the only reason he has yet to jump out of his hiding place. He is levelheaded enough to admit that it would be a folly to go up against two powerful captains over dead bodies. He needs to survive long enough to call for reinforcements. He isn't as foolish to think that they would spare him because of his youth. He knows he is already in the way of whatever the two are plotting. _

_The gray-haired lieutenant's innards spill out with a sucking squelch. Ichimaru makes a disgusted face and toes it playfully. Hitsugaya lets out a low, hissing breath._

_He takes out a small, candy-like orb and swallows it whole. He is sure Mayuri Kurotsuchi wouldn't mind. His stomach churns in protest and he presses his palm against the flat expanse of his belly. _

_He watches._

_It's all he can do now._

-

Pieces come together to create a scene. The commander-general had been led astray into the chambers where captains regularly assembled. His lieutenant had been killed first, a deep cut into the stomach. By the looks of his face, his attacker wasn't unknown and yet it had not been enough to warn the aging captain of the first division.

Captain Yamamoto had been killed by his own soul cutter.

The entry point was clear, right above the heart—near the center of the chest and not far left as many people believed—where the blistered skin melded around the dead zampakuto.

The sentience had long gone when they pulled the body down. The sword did not warm to their touch and that was what confirmed their founder's death most of all.

_"Must have been traumatic for both, his own soul raised against him..."_

A week after the two first division officers were found dead, a funeral is held.

Many come, few shed real tears.

-

Captain Hitsugaya's body is confiscated before he is even allowed the comforts of being grieved.

As Lieutenant Sasakibe's name is cleared with the tenth division's captain shaping up to be the strongest suspect.

Many protest this decision, Captain Ukitake chief amongst them. But the boy is taken away into the forensics lab of the twelfth division in accordance to the new commander-general's orders.

"Is nothing sacred in this world any more?" Ukitake wonders, keeping an eye on his friend who was looking a little more than tipsy after only three bottles.

"Probably not." Captain Kyouraku replies and drowns his sorrows in sake.

-

Urahara's expression is unreadable beneath the shadow of his hat. He tips it slightly forward and sheaths his zampakuto. The three boys immediately take a step back behind the unconscious Orihime. Yoruichi sits up primly, her amber eyes disapproving.

"Tessai, could you please call our friends?"

The bi-colored feline's head rolls across the floor tracking spots of blood. Its dull yellow eyes are still open. They point to the floor when the head stops, ears folding awkwardly beneath its skull.

Its body slumps forwards, stumpy neck dripping as black tendrils wiggle out of its severed esophagus. The half-formed—not half-digested—hell butterflies bat their wings reluctantly before disintegrating, the messages lost. The blonde observes more of the hair-width legs probing the copper-tainted air. He would have to cut open the length of the patchwork body to see what can be salvaged later. But for now he turns his attention to the pale specter rising from its fleshy prison.

It utters a hollow echo, an attempt at a voice but not quite. It extends its ragged sleeve forward and the blonde touches it, the point of contact solidifying briefly before melting into intangible mist. Urahara holds out a compact gigai. The specter seems to recognize it and shudders, folding up on itself. The former captain of the twelfth division leaves it on the floor between them and backs off, both hands in the air. The ghostly apparition wavers, its head rocking sideways in cadence with his heartbeat.

It eventually brushes against the offering with its face(?).

The gigai expands, shifts and morphs.

Miles and miles of pale flesh solidify into a tapered torso and supple limbs. Its fingers are thin, bony and long. They touch the air above the polished wood as its knees fold, heels raised.

Its head forms misshapen and blunt, almost protruding as its eyes widen into an almond shape. Finally, its hair grows out pale gold and drapes over its neck in messy clumps. The spirit melts into its back. Its eyes flicker dark, desperate and hungry. Urahara sees that it's a male and throws his black haori over it.

-

Renji visits the imprisoned Kuchiki and thinks of kind words to say.

Rukia puts up a strong front, her eyes determined. But the same eyes show fear and no matter what the redhead does, it doesn't go away.

Rukia seemed resigned to her fate.

He hasn't the heart to tell her what is going on.

-

Captain Komamura smells the change in the wind, within his friends and within himself.

He has long hated the feral part of him marking him different, marking him as an outcast. But it offers and insight that he would have never known or guessed.

Aizen is dangerous

He blinks at the thought.

His lieutenant asks if something is wrong and he shakes his head beneath the wooden helmet. His brown fur rubs against the wood as he stares down at Captain Yamamoto's memorial slab.

He lets out a disgruntled growl.

-

Captain Soifon of the second division, Lieutenant Abarai Renji of the sixth division, Lieutenant Ise Nanao of the eighth division, and their subordinates are summoned to the audience chambers at Captain Aizen's request.

The eighth division's lieutenant shivers slightly with the knowledge that the room was where three powerful members of the Gotei 13 have died. The flooring is riddled with water stains and some columns are still encased in ice.

They kneel before the new commander-general, only Soifon daring to look up and ask,

"Our mission?"

"Bring back traitor Urahara Kisuke alive."


	4. Invisible Hearts

**Title: Praise the Passing of Summer Rain**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach

**Summary: **If Aizen had deemed Soul Society more valuable; the cleansing starts from within and the first casualties of war are its innocents.

**Warning: **character deaths

* * *

-

* * *

_Lieutenant Sasakibe isn't there by the time he gets back to the first division quarters. None of the lower ranking seats are willing to take responsibility over the documents. He thinks it's because some of them bear the obvious mark of Kurotsuchi Mayuri._

_The third seat reluctantly takes the documents but only on grounds that he delivers the actual prototype himself. Rolling his eyes at the brunette, he exits and looks for the lieutenant or the captain who should have been in their offices at this time of the day._

_It's a testimony to his dedication that he's memorized all seat members' daily schedules._

_In the end he reaches the chambers where the commander-general often holds audience with the rest of the thirteen captains. No one is around which is strange seeing as how it takes at least half a day to clean the room. And he knows that Lieutenant Sasakibe takes care to keep it spotless._

_The doors are now locked though and he tries to knock on it only to have his small fist go right through. Surprised he immediately retracts his arm. It's perfectly intact, no sign of colliding with the heavy doors even though he could have sworn he felt resistance before his hand went through._

_An intruder_

_He closes his eyes, and shunpo inside._

-

Omaeda Marechiyo is enthusiastically gorging himself on rice crackers when Aizen comes looking for him.

The man turns in surprise, his senses finely honed for someone of his stature.

"Commander-general!" the lieutenant sputters, spraying bits and crumbs of rice crackers everywhere on the brunette. The larger man pales immediately, "I... I apologize Captain Aizen!" and hides the cellophane bag behind himself.

The newly instated commander-general waves off the apology and chuckles lightly. He seems to be more interested in the scenery outside the second division compounds than the gluttonous man beside him. The second division's lieutenant asks carefully, "Uhh you needed me sir?"

Aizen turns around. His eyes are obscured, the sunlight bouncing off the glass.

"Ah yes," he says smoothly as if remembering at the last second. "Won't you take a walk with me lieutenant?"

It's not a suggestion.

-

Lieutenant Matsumoto divides her time between running the again leaderless tenth division and frequenting twelfth division quarters trying to recover her captain's body.

She is repeatedly denied by Kurotsuchi Nemu. In her frustration she pushes past her apathetic friend and opens the double doors leading to the laboratory.

The lights are bright.

Her captain's body is there lying on a sterile table.

The boy's body has been cut open and other division members watch in awe at the still fluttering organs visible through the incisions. Mayuri cradles the bruised heart in one hand, black nail of the other hand tugging at the thick vessels with annoyance as she bursts in, face paling to match the hue of his haori.

Her knees shake, her stance falters. Her hand immediately goes to her hip where Haineko is. Her mind says, back out, and demand an explanation. Her heart is still caught up on that her captain's heart is beating—her captain is alive.

She raises her zampakuto and immediately Nemu puts her in a headlock from the behind. She chokes, eyes bulging as inhumane force is applied to her trachea. Her sword dissolves, flaking mountains of ashes over her skin. Nemu is pulled away, her back torn open by thorn-like claws. The twelfth's lieutenant is pinned to the tiled floor.

There is a roar caught halfway between a screech and a growl. Matsumoto falls to her knees. An ash-colored tiger snorts and brushes up against her. It has a mane of fire producing little to no smoke at the flickering edges. Other officers surround her with their swords drawn. Mayuri stand in the front. She knows she has lost.

Haineko disappears with a silent growl.

-

_"Who..."_

"The material world has its share of ghosts and spirits; did you really think that the Soul Society would be any different?" Urahara touches the false body's pale cheek. Its head slants sideways following the direction of the blonde's hand before moving back. Its dark eyes aim listlessly at the polished wooden floor, almost as though searching for a reflection though there was naught to be found. "This is highly irregular," the blonde continues softly, "It has been conscious enough to possess a body."

"...the cat?" Ichigo asks in a strangled voice.

"It is simply easier to possess animals than a human body though I would say that this one... has not had an easy time of it. Majority of the animals were young and the infirm which indicates that it was unable to exert much will over its chosen form. The most it could do was to try and coax the bodies towards this shop where it got caught by the barrier."

"Was he like Shibata?" Chad asks quietly and Urahara hums,

"Oh no, I'd never do this to a child-." The three human boys swallowed nervously, "Most of its possessions resulted in the death of the host animal. Messengers and contained souls tend to leave their bodies alive and intact except in the most dire of cases." He pats its head. It does not react.

Yoruichi's ears flattened over her skull.

"I thought it was just a ball of energy."

"Certainly it feels like one considering its blatant mimicry." He pauses frowning, "but we cannot rule out cognizance considering how it chose the far handsomest in our group..."

"...Funny, I thought that it was because your ugly mug was probably the first thing it saw..."

The doors slide open to admit two newcomers.

"Oy Kisuke, heard ya had a problem! What's the emergency... who's da kid? The sorry bastard, he looks like you."

"Who'dya knock up?" pipes the girl who kicks the blonde away from the doorway to get a better look.

Urahara frowned, a pouty twist to his lips.

"Such accusations!"

"Who are they?" Uryu asks, seeming to have finally found his voice.

The newcomer turns to him with a wide grin.

"Wouldn'tcha like to know?" He tilted his hat in mock deference. "Hirako Shinji." Pointing a thumb towards the girl beside him he deadpans "This is Sarugaki Hiyori."

It earns him a slap with a slipper.

The mini-Urahara wrinkles its face, causing its thin lips to ride over the larger than average incisors. The blonde scientist notices this and kneels so that their eyes meet at the same level.

"Shinji..." the boyish form says suddenly, its voice a bell-toned echo. "...Kisuke?" It sends a pleasant sort of shiver down his spine. Urahara beams cheerfully and whips out his fan.

"Why yes, Urahara Kisuke at your service!"

Its eyes remain dark gray to the blonde's lighter gray. He wonders if that is intentional.

"Not shinigami?" it mumbles, its body swaying. Shinji raises a skeptical eyebrow.

"Well I am a shinigami, but I am no longer with the Soul Society."

Its mouth stretches in a pained smile. It nods at all of them, to the sleeping Orihime to the three boys crouching by her feet. Urahara's helpers to the shopkeeper himself, Yoruichi Shihouin to the two Vaizards standing in the doorway.

"...not shinigami..." he hooks his fingers behind his teeth, "safe..." and throws up. Urahara's hands automatically grasp the bony shoulders. Shudders run through the frail body and clear vomit mixed with blood drips out of its lax mouth. The spots of blood seem to detach themselves from the surrounding fluids and shift, swirling into vague heart-like shapes. Most of them melt back into acidic lumps, one forms into a full butterfly and takes flight—a hell butterfly.

Out of reflex Shinji catches it in one hand and doubled over immediately, his hand clenching and crushing the delicate messenger in his palms.

"Holy shit... I" Shinji stutters when he recovers to find a fine coat of black dust clinging to his hand, "...think I just saw this kid die."

-

She remains imprisoned behind the first division basement. Mayuri hadn't pressed charges_—"Always** fascinating** to observe a materialization."—_but thankfully her captain's body has been taken away to Unohana's care.

How long had he been alive? Was alive even the word? How could she have not known? Did Aizen know of this—did he know?

The door opens and Ichimaru strolls in, a languid finger holding up the brass key to her cell.

"Hey Ran."

"Gin."

The man's smile is narrower than usual. He doesn't take a seat by her side on her raised futon. They spend minutes, perhaps an hour in the comfortable silence. The third division's captain says finally,

"Careful Ran, ya shouldn't give yerself away like that."

She doesn't see him out as he casually places the key by the edge of her futon. She turns away. Her fingers carve grooves into the walls as she keeps her face towards the night's sky.

"Gin." She calls after him as he leaves. Her voice is rough with tears, eyes wet with frustration. "Don't do anything stupid."

He doesn't reply.

* * *

-

* * *

**A.N.:** Err I don't really like this chapter, too much words, too much explanations maybe -shrugs-

So, I know I killed Toushiro in the first chapter but how is he still alive? :3


End file.
